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Ww1 era key to the city of boston

HannibalNectar

Elite Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2015
Messages
921
Location
southern New Hampshire
So I found this key it was in a broken glass case. Yesterday I found out it is apparently the only other one on planet earth. And the other one is in a museum. ill post pics of mine and the other one. Today I was offered 200 dollars but id like to find out who was awarded the key as they didnt give many out.
ANY IDEAS ON VALUE ? Is it worth more if I find who this key was given to?
Heres the link to the museum pic
http://issuu.com/museumtextiles/docs/museum_textiles_magazine__issue_two/22
 

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If there are 2 and the other is in a museum then there is no way to determine a price since no others have been sold to give you a base. It's one of those "whatever someone will pay for it".

I would talk to the museum and see what they know about them and take it those that deal in antiques or WWI era items. Then based on those conversations, if it is believe to be worth a decent amount of money, I would consider a specialty auction and set a reserve price based on the info.

I personally wouldn't sell it for 200 until I did some research. It may turn out to be a great offer, but I would want more info first. Good luck.
 
200.00 is better than a quarter. Do what you feel is right.

I don't think there are only 2. You might want to contact the person that compiled this article. If yours is a WW1 era key I will be surprised. They are picturing another key from 1925 which is more like a WW1 key. Your key appears more modern.

http://www.mastatelibrary.blogspot.com/2009/11/keys-to-city.html
 
200.00 is better than a quarter. Do what you feel is right.

I don't think there are only 2. You might want to contact the person that compiled this article. If yours is a WW1 era key I will be surprised. They are picturing another key from 1925 which is more like a WW1 key. Your key appears more modern.

http://www.mastatelibrary.blogspot.com/2009/11/keys-to-city.html
That article doesn't say that key they have is from 1925. they have the pic of their key but dont date it. They only mention a story of a key given in 1925. Not that key
 

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That article doesn't say that key they have is from 1925. they have the pic of their key but dont date it. They only mention a story of a key given in 1925. Not that key

You are right, HOWEVER, in 1925 MOST ALL keys were skeleton keys. Your key is more modern. That is what I was going on. My home was built in 1923. ALL the locks were skeleton keys.

I really think your key is newer than the 1950's. However, I could be wrong and I know it. If you contact the person that wrote the article maybe she can shed some light on your find.

Anybody that offers you 200.00 for your key either knows something, OR they are taking a gamble that it is rare. I have NO idea which one it is.

With more research, I discovered pin tumbler locks, which is the style key you found came out AFTER WW2. So your key is newer than 1945, most likely the 50's like I am suspecting.
 
You are right, HOWEVER, in 1925 MOST ALL keys were skeleton keys. Your key is more modern. That is what I was going on. My home was built in 1923. ALL the locks were skeleton keys.

I really think your key is newer than the 1950's. However, I could be wrong and I know it. If you contact the person that wrote the article maybe she can shed some light on your find.

Anybody that offers you 200.00 for your key either knows something, OR they are taking a gamble that it is rare. I have NO idea which one it is.

With more research, I discovered pin tumbler locks, which is the style key you found came out AFTER WW2. So your key is newer than 1945, most likely the 50's like I am suspecting.

So is the info in this wrong? Im not sure what to think? I was going by what this said. THE ARTICLE STATES HE WAS GIVEN THE KEY AFTER THE WAR AND DIED WITHIN TEN YEARS OF THE END OF THE WAR. Something isn't adding up I definitely need more research
http://issuu.com/museumtextiles/docs/museum_textiles_magazine__issue_two/22
 
So is the info in this wrong? Im not sure what to think? I was going by what this said. THE ARTICLE STATES HE WAS GIVEN THE KEY AFTER THE WAR AND DIED WITHIN TEN YEARS OF THE END OF THE WAR. Something isn't adding up I definitely need more research
http://issuu.com/museumtextiles/docs/museum_textiles_magazine__issue_two/22

Yes I do believe the story is wrong. Sorry. The war ended in 1921. Tumbler locks came out after 1945. Something doesn't add up. Yes, more research is the key!! LOL pun noticed after I typed it.
 
That type of key has been around since before the period stated in the article. Flat keys date back to the 1800's and were in fairly wide use by the early 20th century. Most cars by the 20's were using them for doors and ignition.

http://exwisehe.com/oem_keys_page2.html

"Modern “flat keys” were first introduced to the public by Linus Yale, Sr and Jr. in mid 1800s. Bu using tumbler lock and more sophisticated way of regulating the pins, these flat keys become instant success across entire world. They were easy to manufacture, and thanks to invention of key cutting, easy to replicate in large numbers."

The real question is who was this key given to, or was this key a copy of the original city keys used for souvenir purposes?
 
That type of key has been around since before the period stated in the article. Flat keys date back to the 1800's and were in fairly wide use by the early 20th century. Most cars by the 20's were using them for doors and ignition.

http://exwisehe.com/oem_keys_page2.html

"Modern “flat keys” were first introduced to the public by Linus Yale, Sr and Jr. in mid 1800s. Bu using tumbler lock and more sophisticated way of regulating the pins, these flat keys become instant success across entire world. They were easy to manufacture, and thanks to invention of key cutting, easy to replicate in large numbers."

The real question is who was this key given to, or was this key a copy of the original city keys used for souvenir purposes?

Interesting. LOL well we got things off the internet. Neither article can be wrong right? As stated, more research!!! Thanks for a different article than what I found. Your picture shows car keys. I wonder when house keys were invented to that style.
 
Interesting. LOL well we got things off the internet. Neither article can be wrong right? As stated, more research!!! Thanks for a different article than what I found. Your picture shows car keys. I wonder when house keys were invented to that style.

From the sites I'm seeing on lock history they started coming into more widespread use in the mid to late 1800's with the Yale cylinder locks and caught on quickly. They continued to use skeleton keys into the 40's but they started being replaced in the late 1800's by the flat keys. The thing is while flat keys were around in the 1920's it seems that all the Boston city keys were much different looking with CB as the "teeth". So why were all the other city keys of the 1920's different from this one?

Here is a different hoax key given in the 1920's. This one is a skeleton key. http://hoaxes.org/archive/permalink/lafayette_mulligan

http://pioneersofflight.si.edu/content/key-city-boston-back This is another key given in the 1920's.

http://mastatelibrary.blogspot.com/2009/11/keys-to-city.html
 
From the sites I'm seeing on lock history they started coming into more widespread use in the mid to late 1800's with the Yale cylinder locks and caught on quickly. They continued to use skeleton keys into the 40's but they started being replaced in the late 1800's by the flat keys. The thing is while flat keys were around in the 1920's it seems that all the Boston city keys were much different looking with CB as the "teeth". So why were all the other city keys of the 1920's different from this one?

Here is a different hoax key given in the 1920's. This one is a skeleton key. http://hoaxes.org/archive/permalink/lafayette_mulligan

http://pioneersofflight.si.edu/content/key-city-boston-back This is another key given in the 1920's.

http://mastatelibrary.blogspot.com/2009/11/keys-to-city.html

I had looked into these 3 website s before and they are just using the photo from the mass state library. The air pioneers and every other site I can find credit mass library for photos. Just changed back ground. Anyways I have the mass state library calling me back with anything they have on the key to Boston trying for a list of recipients. I also will be getting a phone call from the man seen cleaning the key or other medal in the photo from the site saying its ww1. I will get to the bottom of this. Hopefully isnt this fun
 
Key to the city of Boston

So I happened to find this post about the key when searching for some info on mine, I also have one and was wondering what you had found out and or where can I retrieve extra information about it. I’m local to Boston (Massachusetts) so if anything I can make the trip down to the museum and get info if that’s something they’d be willing to do but I’m not sure.
 

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